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| Photo: VN Express |
Nhiu Co San is a small village located in the middle of the road to Y Ty commune, Lao Cai province. The road leading to the village is commonly referred to as ‘Muong Hum road’ and ‘Trinh Tuong road.’ Nhiu Co San normally does not welcome many tourists, but the village gets more crowded in the cold season, especially when the snow falls.
This photo set was taken by photographer Vinh Dav in early 2021 in the village of Nhiu Co San.
‘When the weather forecast said that the snow would fall on Sa Pa and Y Ty and the cold wind from the north was intensified, we started our trip to Y Ty. The snow appeared right on the first night of our trip. It was the biggest snow there since 2016. Interestingly, besides Fansipan, the snow mostly fell on Nhiu Co San,’ said the photographer.
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| Photo: VN Express |
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| Photo: VN Express |
Nhiu Co San in the Mong people’s language means buffalo horn. Nhiu Co San mountain range has 2 peaks pointing out into the sky, with a curve like a buffalo horn. For children of Ha Nhi ethnic group, the snowy days are unfamiliar. The village’s scene changes, much more tourists come to visit. Nhiu Co San turns into a ‘fairy tale’ picture with houses hidden among the snow and trees.
At the time that the photo set was taken, the snow was quite thick, even reached almost 20 centimeters in some places.
Vietnam is a tropical country, therefore, even on snowy days, the snow cannot last long. As the sunlight leaks through the clouds, frost and ice gradually melt, revealing the warm pink of cherry blossoms.
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| Photo: VN Express |
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| Photo: VN Express |
How to travel to Nhiu Co San?
To get to Nhiu Co San, first, you have to reach Sa Pa, get a motorbike or taxi from Sa Pa to Bat Xat district, then drive to Nhiu Co San. It will take around 2 hours to travel from Sa Pa town to Nhiu Co San village, which is about 60 km away.
On the rocky 7-8 km road from Bat Xat to Nhiu Co San, many slopes and sharp zig-zag turns appear, posing a real challenge for motorbike riders from the lowland. The higher you get, the stronger the wind is, but the landscape also becomes more majestic.
From Nhiu Co San village, you can hire a local tour guide to conquer Nhiu Co San peak, the 9th highest mountain in Vietnam, 2,965 meters above sea level. This is a group of majestic mountains, standing between the area of Sang Ma Sao, Bat Xat, and Lao Cai. The range of mountains includes 3 main peaks and each one creates a famous mountain area.
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| Photo: VN Express |
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| Photo: VN Express |
If the peaceful Nhiu Co San village perfectly suits those who love the mountainous freshness and idleness, the Nhiu Co San peak should be on the bucket list of adventurous souls. On the way to the peak, make sure you check out the beautiful Ong Chua waterfall. Streams of water from high above pour down through many stone steps, shaking in the sun like bee wings, perhaps thus forming the name of the waterfall.
The best period to conquer Nhiu Co San is winter, around October to March, when the temperature is chill and refreshing, leaving crystal clear frost on tree branches. To have the best photos in Nhiu Co San, choose bright-colored clothes to contrast against the stark white wonderland.
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| Photo: VN Express |
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| Photo: VN Express |
